Final Kingdom
by ShibukisSummoner
Summary: As she lays dying, Princess Tifa must journey across the world seeking out the ruler of the Final Kingdom. Who is the Ruler? Will she make it back to the real world to save her kingdom? Just wait and see...
1. Prologue

**Final Kingdom **

A dark day had come. The darkest day the Star kingdom would know.

"How much longer does she have, doctor?" asked a bearded man with a gold crown emanating from his worried brow as he stared down at a man with large spectacles and graying black hair. The doctor checked the lovely girl's pulse and shook his head.

"She's fading fast, Lord Lockhart. She doesn't have much time until…"

The doctor lowered his gaze upon the dark haired girl. Her breathing was quick and her lovely pale skin was broke out into a cold sweat. The doctor and Lord Lockhart had been in the room with the sick girl for almost three days straight and now it had come to this: Princess Tifa was dying. The doctor shook his head and rose from her side, gathering his instruments into a bag as he did so.

"I'm terribly sorry Lord Lockhart. There's nothing I can do for her."

Lord Lockhart's eyes widened as he took the doctor by his shirt and gave him a wild shake. "BUT THERE MUST BE SOMETHING!! YOU'RE THE BEST DOCTOR IN THE WHOLE DAMN KINGDOM, NOW I COMMAND YOU TO SAVE MY ONLY DAUGHTER!!" Lord Lockhart bellowed like an injured wild animal, but the doctor merely placed his hands on the old king's hands.

"Lord Lockhart, this is getting us nowhere. I'm afraid that this is beyond my healing powers. It'll take the work of the gods to restore Princess Tifa's health."

Lord Lockhart shakily released the doctor and tears rolled down the mighty king's face. "Leave us at once…" he said quietly and with a bow, the doctor left the saddened father with his only child. Lord Lockhart sat down next to Princess Tifa and took her chilly hand in his own. "Tifa…Tifa, don't leave me all alone…You're all I have left…" he sobbed into her hand as the rain and thunder roared outside in grief.


	2. Stone 1

_Author's Note: To be overly honest, I don't really remember what brought this story about…Wait I take that back! This would be the first story that I've ever written where Tifa's the main character, believe it or not. Anyways, I hope this all turns out okay…_

_Disclaimer: I don't own Final Fantasy 7 in anyway shape or form. I just own my overactive imagination. Joygasm!!_

**Stone 1**

"Huh? Where am I?"

Sitting up in a vast garden, a dark haired girl peered about herself. She slowly rose to her feet and brushed away the grass on her lovely white gown. The sun shone brightly as a slight breeze swept through the willow trees that over looked a shining lake. Butterflies danced about the numerous urns of roses, as the tiger lilies swayed along to the breeze. Irises sprouted along the walk ways and the young girl found herself in utter awe.

"…Tifa…Tifa…"

Tifa spun around but yet there was no one about.

"Who is it? Where are you?" she called out, but the only answer she received were sprite like giggles. Tifa nervously licked her lips and clenched her hands into fists. "I don't find this funny! Come out and show yourself!" she bellowed and the garden erupted into countless wings and giggles. At first, Tifa had thought the winged creatures were birds. That was until two of the thousands stopped in front of her.

"Tifa! TifaTifaTifaTifa!! Hiiiiii!!" chattered one with raven hair garbed all in violet as he flitted and twittered about Tifa. Judging by the figure, Tifa guess this one was a boy.

"Zack! Don't hassle her!! This is really important!!" cried the other one. This one was a girl with long light brown hair dressed in bright pink. The one called Zack stopped spurting about and hovered in front of Tifa's face, his wings flapping like that of a hummingbird.

"Oh c'mon Aerith! It's not every day we get to meet a human! Especially one that's nicely shaped!" he grinned and Aerith flew in to swat him upside the head. "Keep your dirty thoughts to yourself, you pervert!" she squeaked angrily, her green eyes darkening. Zack clutched his head and flew behind Tifa, just peeking out from behind the girl's shoulder. Aerith sighed and shook her head.

"Okay then…Excuse me for interrupting but…where am I? And who, or what, are you guys?" Tifa asked warily as she felt Zack playing around with her tear drop earrings.

"Ow! Hey! Those are attached ya know!" she snapped at him and Zack buzzed away as she went to swat him. Aerith grinned sheepishly and replied "you'll have to forgive our Zack. He's been like this since the Fairy Queen dropped him on his head at birth."

"Hey!"

"Stop fussing Zack! You and I both know that it's true!" Aerith growled at him, then turned back to Tifa. "Anyways, where are our manners? My name is Aerith Gainsborough and that's Zack Fair, the very Prince of the Fairies."

Tifa cocked a skeptical eyebrow and Aerith nodded knowingly. "Yes, yes, I know that with him in charge, our race is doomed."

"Hey! Is that anyway to talk about your Prince, Aerith? You know, I could have you flagged!" he called out from an iris.

"It's flogged, Zack, not flagged." Aerith corrected and Zack responded with "Pfft, same thing, who cares!"

While they began to argue, Tifa rolled her eyes and thought_ This is getting me nowhere! What a waste of my time!_ She gathered her gown and started to walk away slightly irritated, when the two fairies caught up with her. "Hey now! What's your hurry?" Zack said as he sat down on her shoulder and Tifa glared at him.

"I hate repeating myself. Now for the last time: where am I?" she asked again and Zack merely tutted. "Don't get your petticoat in a knot, princess. If you really must know, you're in the kingdom of the Fairies and as you already know, I am Prince Zack."

"Zack, I hate to be rude, but we really have to get going. He's been getting impatient and this is really important!" Aerith explained and Zack looked a little lost.

"Who?"

Aerith looked as if she were about to collapse in midair. "WHO?! ZACK, WEREN'T YOU PAYING ATTENTION WHEN THAT LETTER YOU RECEIVED WAS READ ALOUD?!" she cried and Zack looked thoughtful.

"Letter…letter…letter…what letter…" he thought aloud and then his eye were alight."OH!! THAT LETTER!! Got'cha Aerith! Alright, listen up princess," he said in Tifa's ear, a little louder that usual, which wasn't saying much. "Look, gather your skirts because we have to leave and go see someone really important."

Tifa looked very confused. "Who? Why is it so important?" To Tifa's utter dismay, Zack shrugged. "Beats the heck out of me, kid. All you need to know is that the guy you have to see is the big Kahuna of the Final Kingdom." He explained.

"Final…Kingdom…" Tifa repeated slowly and looked from Aerith to Zack. Aerith nodded and chimed in "That's right. We have to get there very soon, or you'll be in big trouble! That includes your kingdom too!"

"My Kingdom! What will happen to my kingdom?!" Tifa cried, eyes wide with shock and Zack and Aerith exchanged woeful looks. "What will happen? Tell me!" she commanded them and Zack sighed.

"Okay, listen to me and try not to freak out…okay here it goes…Tifa…you're dying."

"What? What are you talking about? I'm standing right here?!" she laughed incredously and the fairies looked at one another then back at her.

"Tifa, please, the ruler of the Final Kingdom wants to help you. Please, let us help you. If not for your sake, then for your kingdom's sake." Aerith pleaded, but Tifa wasn't listening. She collapsed to the ground and wrapped her arms about herself. This couldn't be happening. She stifled her frightened sobs, but the tears seeped through her dark lashes and trickled onto the groomed gravel walkway. Zack fluttered over to her and said calmly "Princess Lockhart, I know you're not pitying yourself! Where's that strong resolve that we've all heard about? Look if we leave now, we can get to the Final Kingdom sooner and then we can restore balance and peace to you and your lands. What do you say?"

Tifa dried her eyes and said sourly "Personally, I think you're all nuts, but I guess I have no choice in this matter…" she slowly got to her feet and brushed the back of her hand across her eyes to wipe away the last of the tears. "When do we leave?" she asked as calmly as possible and Zack released a joyous screech that had Tifa and Aerith cringing. Aerith turned to Tifa and replied sheepishly "I think he means now. C'mon, this path should lead us to the Final Kingdom, which is one country away from our own." Thus Princess Tifa with her two fairy guardians at her side began their incredible journey.

_Author Note #2: Sorry if Zack seems a little…loopy, I guess. If anyone seems a little out of character, I apologize ahead of time, but I guess if it works for the story…who knows…Read and Review, little readers! I want to hear your thought on the topic…pretty please? Pretty please with an adorable chocolate chocobo on top?_


	3. Stone 2

**Author's Note: I figured we'd take a break from Tifa and the others at the moment, so you have been warned of scene change…yay!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own FF7, just anything outside of the game I own. That is all.**

**Stone 2**

As Tifa and her guardians made their way through the fairy gardens, elsewhere in the world a youth stands over the charred remains of the battle field. Thunder roared in the distance and the rain came crashing down in woeful sheets.

"Sephiroth…" he murmured angrily and his hands tightened into fists. Suddenly, the youth felt a thin cold blade near his throat. His frown turned into a dark smirk and he said calmly "You wouldn't dare kill me. If you did, this kingdom, this very world would collapse in ruin…brother…" The blade was removed and slowly, a man with long silver hair, coated with blood on his black uniform stepped out from behind him. The man fixed his green cat like eyes on the young man before replying "You know, it would be so easy to kill you and rid myself of the humiliation I've suffered these past years as we grew up. However, I have a better idea…"

"Sephiroth…Whatever you're thinking of doing, give it up. You and I both know you won't win this battle." The youth said softly, but Sephiroth's eyes lit up in contempt. "Why you sniveling little brat! Look around you! Your army has fallen, you're completely surrounded," Sephiroth motioned with his oversized katana to the army that surrounded them. "And to top it off, there is not damn thing you can do about it, Cloud. The crown of the Final Kingdom is mine at last."

Cloud's blue eyes were ablaze. "Okay, so maybe you have won this battle but this is far from over Sephiroth. You will never be the true ruler of this kingdom. Our father ensured that long ago, when-"

"DON'T YOU SAY IT!!" Sephiroth bellowed as he lashed out a swift and brutal back hand that sent Cloud sprawling to the ground. Cloud slowly sat up in the blood stained mud and wiped away the warm liquid oozing out of his cracked lip. "You really are stock raving mad!" Cloud mused as Sephiroth towered over him, wide eyed and enraged.

"Take him away!" Sephiroth commanded and the guards began to close in. Before the advancements could get any closer, Cloud was on his feet and making what people would refer to as a 'suicidal' dash at the enemy. Just as he came close enough to be impaled by the freshly unsheathed swords, he swerved off to the side, wrenched a sword away from one of the men and began to hack and slash his way to freedom.

"MY LORD!! THIS WAY!!" Bellowed a man with wild black hair with gleaming red eyes. Cloud made a dash for the crimson caped man on the back of a black stallion. Cloud's arm shot out to him and instantly he was hauled up and they rode off as quickly as the steed could carry them. The guards were about to pursue after him, but Sephiroth belted out "Never mind him now. He's the least of my concerns. Besides, if you fools ran after him, you'd all be destroyed by the ninjas waiting outside." Without another word, Sephiroth slowly pushed past his army and stood to gaze up at a vast castle that seemed to touch the sky.

"It's mine…It's all mine…Mother…I've finally done it…"

"Thanks Vincent. You really saved me back there." Cloud said as the horse came to a trot. The man in front of Cloud merely nodded and replied "Your father had often told me this sort of thing would happen. That's why he chose me to watch over you, your highness." Cloud sighed and looked back the way they had just come.

"Vincent…What are we going to do? Countless people are going to suffer and it's all because I wasn't strong enough to stop him… and that girl-"

"Cloud, no one blames you. If anyone is going to get most of the blame it will be Sephiroth and his lust for power. As for the people, they'll make it through until we can figure out a way to get you back to where you belong." Vincent soothed, but Cloud was still a little unsure. Suddenly, an over sized shurikan came whizzing out of nowhere, just missing Vincent's head by a few inches.

"Ummm, Vincent…Don't look now, but I believe we're surrounded…again…" Cloud hissed to the older man and Vincent sighed. Suddenly a path cleared through the massive group of ninjas as a girl dressed in short shorts and green sleeveless shirt came striding confidently towards them. Sadly, she didn't see the up rooted tree root and she hit the dirt face first. A very classy face plant, if the authoress says so herself!

"MMMF MMM MFFFFM MPH!!" she fumed as she flailed and kicked out in an unladylike fashion. Cloud and Vincent turned away from the scene to laugh, but masked it behind unruly coughs. The girl was hauled to her feet by her entourage and she quickly shook off what just happened. By this time, Cloud and Vincent regained their composure…well, Vincent more than Cloud, who seemed to be having trouble keeping his smile at bay.

"…Ahem…By the order of the Ninja Princess Yuffie, that is me of course, I hereby decree that you hand over your valuables and horse at once!" she demanded haughtily and Vincent rolled his eyes.

"Yuffie, it's us." He grumbled and Yuffie did a double take.

"OH MY GAIA!! IT'S BEEN FOREVER VINNIE-POO!!" she squealed and Vincent cringed at that atrocious name.

"It's Vincent…Anyways, I came to ask you-"

"OF COURSE I WILL!!"

"But you don't even know what I'm going to ask."

"Yes I do! You were just going to ask me to marry you! Now I accept!"

Vincent rolled his eyes and shook his head as the girl practically shivered with joy.

"Yuffie, that's far from what I was going to ask. I wanted to know if Prince Cloud can stay with your clan until we can figure out how to restore balance."

Yuffie frowned a little and stopped bouncing. She placed a hand on her hip and cocked an eyebrow.

"What do I look like?! A hostess?! I don't think so Vinnie- poo! Absolutely not!!" she snapped at him and Vincent sighed as he dismounted from the horse. He strode over to the girl and took her hands in his own.

"Yuffie…I will do anything you ask of me in the future, but please…please let Prince Cloud stay with you. It would me a great deal if you let him stay with you."

Yuffie's cheeks lit up like fireworks. Vincent was definitely a smooth operator. Yuffie batted her eye lashes and euphorically rubbed her cheek against Vincent's hands like a cat.

"Since you put it that way…Of course I'll look after your prince, Vinnie-poo!" she purred and as Vincent tried his best to crack a smile; his mind, however, screamed for him to bolt for the horse and make a daring escape from this psychotic girl.

"So it's settled then…And it's Vincent, not Vinnie-poo." He corrected and Yuffie rolled her eyes.

"Right, right, now c'mon Vinnie-poo! It's gonna be a long walk to my house!" she chirped but Vincent shook his head.

"I'm afraid I can't go with you. Prince Cloud is expecting someone very important and it's very important that I get this person to him as soon as possible."

"WHAT?! BUT VINNIE- POO, YOU CAN'T-"

"I'm sorry but duty calls my Lady. Adieu, adieu, parting is such sweet sorrow…"

He bowed multiple times as he vanished into the forest. Yuffie found herself sniffling as she turned her attention to Cloud.

"YOU BETTER APPRECIATE WHAT THAT MAN DOES FOR YOU!!" She snapped at him and then motioned for him to follow. Cloud sighed and dismounted from the horse. He knew the terrain in this forest wouldn't be good for horseback riding. With little words exchanged, Cloud silently followed the ninjas farther into the woods.

_Vincent…Thank you so much…_

**Author Note #2: Did I do okay? I hope I did…Vincent seemed a little over elegant in my view, but then again, he was trying to weasel Yuffie into accepting his request. Either way, there's still more to come!**

**P.S. The reason why I refer to each chapter as Stone 1, Stone 2…etc, is because using the word 'chapter' so many times has become a little boring. So I figured "hey, why not try something else? Maybe it might be significant later on?" I'm not confirming that bit, but who knows?**


	4. Stone 3

**Author's Note: Okay, this may be a little longer than usually, but I'm sure people have read more lengthy pieces than this little fic. Enjoy, 'kay?**

**Disclaimer: I don't own FF7, just anything outside of the game I own. That is all.**

**Stone 3**

"Man, I'm pooped…It's so hot out too!"

"Zack, you haven't done a single thing other than ride on Tifa's shoulder for the past two hours!" Aerith squeaked at him, but he merely rolled his lovely violet eyes. Tifa however, wasn't in the best of moods to put up with the fairies bickering. After all, she was suppose to be on her death bed right?...Yet, why didn't she feel like she was dying?

"Hey Zack?"

"Yes, Teef?"

"It's Tifa…Anyways, you said I was dying right?"

"Yeah, so?"

"So?! Well, if I'm supposedly dying, why do I feel...ya know…not dying?" she asked and Zack snorted.

"You know, most humans that come to this world say that, or so I've heard. You don't feel like you're about to fly do you?"

Tifa shook her head and the fairies breathed a sigh of relief. "That's good news!" Aerith piped and Zack nodded in agreement.

"Why's that?"

Both of the fairies looked at Tifa incredulously and Zack let loose a surprised screech. "FEELING LIKE YOU'RE ABOUT TO FLY IS A BAD THING TIFA!! A REALLY BAD THING!!" he tweaked and Aerith buzzed over to silence him.

"I think you better let me explain, otherwise, you'll blow out her precious ear drums." Aerith chided at him as she covered his mouth. Zack gave a comical nod and she removed her hand. Aerith fluttered out until she hovered face to face with Tifa. "Tifa, listen to me. If you feel like you're about to fly, that means you're body is about to release your soul. It means you're dead."

"Oh…I guess, that makes sense…You know, angels and stuff like that…" she said quietly as she looked up to the sky. It reminded her of home. She wondered what her father was doing right at that moment. Well that's a dumb question to ask! He's probably mourning over me! her mind fumed. To think she was making her father suffer was almost too much for Tifa to bear with. It was bad enough her mother had passed away when she was just a little girl and her father was in an ugly state for nearly a couple years after that.

"Hey, c'mon! You wanna go home and make things right, right?" Tifa snapped out of her thoughts and looked over at Zack, who lazily put his arms behind his head and peered at her through one open eye. Tifa sighed. Hoofing her way to the Final Kingdom was such a drag, especially with one fairy that was not only a prince, but seemed to be born with a massive sugar high. At least Tifa knew she could stomach Aerith for the trip. Heck, if not for the female fairy, Tifa didn't think Zack would last the trip until Tifa decided to squeeze the living day lights out of him. So Zack had better thank his lucky stars for Aerith, that much is for certain.

It was soon within an hour's time, the 'iris road' came to a halt in front of a vast forest. Zack hopped off Tifa's shoulder and fluttered forward to investigate.

"Hmmmm…It looks like we're about to enter the next kingdom, ladies." He remarked and the girls looked at one another before Aerith asked "What makes you say that? We have forests in our country too." Zack turned to face her and gave her a look as if to say 'it's so obvious'.

"Well first off, these kinds of trees don't grow in our forests, believe me, I checked. Second off all, this place is just screaming of Ogres…" Zack pointed to big claw marks on one of the trees, before finishing " and thirdly, I'm the prince and therefore, I know I'm right when it comes to this kind of stuff!"

Aerith rolled her eyes and muttered to Tifa "that's a matter of opinion." Tifa stifled a snort as Zack shot Aerith a glare.

"We're you saying something snide, Aerith?"

"No! Not at all!"

"Then what did you say?"

Zack's eyebrow was cocked and Aerith was terrified.

"…ogre…"

"What?"

"OGRE!!" she screamed and flew away as Tifa and Zack's gazes darted to a dark being towering over them. His beady eyes were narrowed with anger and his bottom lip was jutted out with impending wrath. He flexed his muscles menacingly at the terrified Tifa and Zack before releasing an earsplitting roar.

"RUN AWAY TIFA!! I'LL HOLD HIM OFF!!" Zack screamed at her before buzzing off to distract the ogre.

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?! HE'S THOUSANDS TIMES YOUR SIZE!!" she yelled at him and Zack buzzed back to her.

"Look, just go!! My life isn't as important as your's!! Now go!!" he snapped at her as he whizzed by and began to pull her long chocolate hair.

"What's going on? Daddy, are you scaring the neighbors again?!"

Zack and Tifa stood dumbfounded as a little girl came bumbling out of the foliage and scrambled up to the ogre.

"Daddy? You mean to tell me that ogre is her father?!" Zack screeched in disbelief, Tifa's hair still in his grasp and his mouth hanging right open. The ogre knelt and smiled at the little girl as she threw her arms about his neck.

"My lil' Marlene!" he roared joyously as he scooped her up and swung her around in the air. Marlene giggled and he brought her into a hug, which Tifa thought would crush the angelic child, but it seemed the ogre was careful about his strength. Marlene pulled away and gave him a scowl.

"Shame on you daddy! Scaring those nice people!" she scolded as she slapped his natural hand. Tifa took special note that only one hand was natural while the other was…a gunning arm? Yes.

The ogre set the child down and frowned. "Listen Marlene, you can't trust people right now. It's gettin' dangerous around here." He explained but the little girl shook her head.

"They don't look dangerous at all! I mean, it's just a fairy and a…" Marlene was stopped short at the sight of Tifa. Marlene edged closer to examine the older girl before her. "You're human too? Wow…and I thought I was the only one! C'mon! You can come home with us! You must be tired, right?" the little girl chattered and tugged Tifa, who looked at Zack. Zack shrugged and mouthed "go with the flow."

"Zack? Tifa? Are you alright?" Aerith called out and she poked her head out from the bush. Zack smirked and motioned for her to follow. Seeing her looking unsure, Zack buzzed over and took her by the hand. Their eyes met and a blush crept into Aerith's cheeks as Zack started to fiddle with the collar of his tunic.

"Um…right, c'mon…" he stammered and Aerith obeyed. They flew over to Tifa and perched on her shoulders. Tifa smiled as Zack put his arm around Aerith to soothe away her fears and soon, she nodded off to sleep on his shoulder.

"Poor thing. That little scare must have really tired her out." Tifa whispered and Zack shrugged. "She would've been tired anyway. After all, she has me to put up with." He mused and smirked devilishly. Tifa rolled her eyes and shook her head before ducking a low branch.

"Hey! Be sure to mind them brambles! They'll tear your legs up!" the ogre called back to them as he scooped up Marlene and began carrying her through the thorny bushes. Tifa tried her best to keep up, but between her legs getting scratched to hell and her gown getting caught numerous times, the Ogre had to grudgingly track back and get her out. He threw her on to his mighty shoulder and carried her until the bramble bushes ended.

"Thank you so much, Mr…."

"The name's Barret…Say, what are ya doin' so far out here anyway? Not very many folks come out this way anymore."

"I wonder why…" Zack murmured into Tifa's ear and she scowled at him.

"We're trying to get to the Final Kingdom, but in order to do that, we have to cross through one other kingdom. Where that is, I haven't got a clue." Tifa explained and Barret busted out laughing. Tifa's eyebrows knit as she snapped "What's so funny? I see nothing funny about this at all!"

Barret wiped a tear from his eye and controlled himself before shaking his head. "You really don't wanna go there now! You'll get killed before you even reach the main gate." He explained and Zack's eyes widened.

"What's happened? It's not like the prince to do such a thing? You don't think…You don't think Sephiroth had something to do with it?"

"Sephiroth? Who's that? What about the prince?"

Tifa was very curious now, but yet, she couldn't help but have a sinking feeling within the pit of her stomach. Zack sighed and frowned.

"I was really hoping Sephiroth wouldn't hold a grudge but I guess it finally got to him…Okay look Tifa, if there's one thing you better know now, it's the fact that the prince and Sephiroth are brothers and Sephiroth's the oldest of the lot. Are you following me?"

Tifa nodded a little and replied "So he got jealous of the prince, but what I don't understand is since Sephiroth is the oldest, then why make his little brother-"

"It's simple really. There was a scandal at the palace nigh upon ten years ago, and at the time, Sephiroth was 15 years old and the Crowned Prince was only 8. Well, apparently from what I heard from the Sylphs, their birth mother had not only been having an affair outside of the place, but it was with none other than the despicable fiend known as Hojo."

"Hojo?! You mean to tell me Queen Lucrecia snuggled up to tha' –tha' abomination?!...Marlene, you better cover your little ears. I don't need you havin' nightmares." Barret quickly put his large hands over his adopted daughter's ears so she wouldn't hear the rest of the story.

Zack nodded gravely and continued "There have been some rumors circulating throughout the years that Sephiroth was forged out of that relationship, but yet there's been no confirmation of that yet. Sadly, the King found out about the affair during the celebration of their anniversary because of two things occurring: Lucrecia wasn't present at the Ball that was being thrown for her and the fact one of the watchmen saw her galloping off. So naturally the King called for his guards to hunt her down and drag her back, which they did obviously."

Tifa scowled and asked "But why would she do that though? The King must have loved her a lot in order to throw a Ball for her on their anniversary."

Zack shrugged before replying "Hey, I thought the same thing too, but then again, nobody knows as to why she did it. Needless to say, the King ordered that Hojo be put to death and the beautiful Lucrecia be sealed away in a large crystal stone, so that only the King could gaze upon her beautiful shame for the rest of eternity."

"Wow…that's so sad…He really must have loved her then…"

"Yeah, loved her enough to seal her in an overgrown diamond!" Barret snorted and scrunched up his face in disgust.

"That still doesn't tell us why Sephiroth is jealous towards his little brother though."

Zack looked at her incredously. "BUT IT'S SO OBVIOUS!!" he cried.

"Apparently not, if she's asking about it Zack." Tifa and Zack turned to look at the stirring Aerith, who yawned and stretched lazily before looking at Zack. "Who knew you'd make a nice pillow!" she chirped and snuggled her face into his chest. Zack's face screwed up into a happy Cheshire cat grin and Tifa snapped her fingers.

"Zack, stay focused!! Why is Sephiroth jealous?"

"Sephiroth was very close to his mother and for his father planning on punishing her, was just too much to take. So he did what any loving son would do, he took up arms and tried to defend her. So a battle between Father and Son was waged, and Sephiroth lost both his status of Crowned Prince and the battle. The King declared that Sephiroth be exiled to the North Crater and the youngest prince be the new Crowned Prince. But little did the King know that Sephiroth would creep back from the shadows after the man's death, only to plan the Crowned Prince's down fall. By the looks of it, he succeeded." Aerith concluded and Tifa stood utterly dumbfounded.

"So…SO WE JUST CAUGHT THEM AFTER SEPHIROTH TOOK OVER?! Oh no...no…This isn't fair!!" Tifa cried and shook her head, trying desperately to drown out the ugly piece of news. How was she going to get home if the Crowned Prince she was supposed to meet was long gone?

"Tifa calm down. The Crowned Prince should still be alive, so we might have to look for him." Aerith soothed and Tifa shot her a dirty look.

"What makes you so sure?"

"It's because when a King in the Final Kingdom proclaims a child as the Crowned Prince or Princess, there is an ancient magic that ensures their livelihood and the world that they live in. If the prince, or princess, should be killed, that magic will kick in and throw the whole kingdom into a topsy turvey turmoil until someone gives the slain prince, or princess, a phoenix down."

Zack looked at Aerith and asked "Where were you when I needed help on my history lessons?" Aerith shrugged and said "If you spent more time paying attention instead of chocoboing around, you would've already knew that. I'm just surprised you remembered the whole scandal! I'm very proud of you!!" she patted his head as if he were a child, who just recited the A B C's without messing up.

"Daddy, can I uncover my ears now?"

Barret removed his hands and said apologetically "Oh I'm sorry Marlene!" He gently scooped her up and planted a whiskery kiss on her forehead. With a sigh, he said to no one in particular "Well, c'mon, it'll be dark pretty soon. I don't think ya wanna be out here when them wolves start showin' up."

Tifa, Zack and Aerith looked at each other and Zack piped "Lead the way! We'll be right behind you the whole way!" They followed Barret and Marlene all the way until they came to a little swamp and a giant dead tree.

"Home Sweet Home" Barret declared as he looked at Marlene, while the trio behind him just stared in awe. Yes, Home Sweet Home.

**Author Note #2: I thought the idea of making Barret an ogre and Marlene his little human daughter was rather cute. Other's may not agree, but oh well, that's life I guess…**

**P.S.: I have to admit I sorta pulled a 'Shrek' on the last bit. I couldn't resist, it was just screaming to be done!! Bwahahahahaha!!**


	5. Stone 4

**Author's Note: Sorry for the wait, it's just I've been a little busy lately . Either way, carry on!**

**Author Note 1 ½: I had a little trouble along the way, so I'm sorry if anyone seems a little out of character or anything seems a little screwy.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own FF7, just anything outside of the game I own. Naturally.**

**Stone 4**

"Watch yer heads!" Barret barked as they quietly entered the strange little house. Zack flew off from Tifa's shoulder and started investigating the dining room.

"Wow…I've often heard an ogre's house isn't usually pleasant, but man…It looks really nice!"

Barret shot the fairy prince a dirty look and growled "are you sayin' my house looks like a chocobo sty?!"

"No, not at all! It was a compliment!" Zack assured and Barret shook his head.

"…fairies…" he mumbled and turned to look at the giggling Marlene, who fawned over the fluttering Aerith.

"Your wings are so pretty! I wish I had wings too!" she mused and held out her hands for Aerith to land. Aerith accepted and her feet daintily touched the child's palm before she started tracing the lines on Marlene's hands.

"They may be pretty to look at and sometimes convenient, but they also have their draw backs too. Besides, it must be nice being bigger than a fairy."

"Aerith! Why would you want to change your size? I like you just the way you are." Zack argued and blushed at the realization of what he just said. Aerith smiled gently and replied "I know that, Zack, but sometimes it would be nice to be big. Wouldn't it be nice to talk to the taller folks without having to raise your voice so much? After a while, it kinda hurts my throat."

Zack rubbed the back of his head and smirked. "I guess you have a point…but we are what we are and there's no changin' that."

"Yes, I suppose…But a girl can dream of a little luxury right?"

Marlene giggled at the two of them and said with batted eyelashes "You like Zack, don't you?"

Tifa turned to stifle her own laughter as little Aerith's cheeks went bright red.

"N-now Marlene! That's going too far!" she stammered, chancing a glance at Zack. He smiled and his cheeks were as red as her own as he took a seat on the zenith of a wooden chair. Marlene carried the embarrassed Aerith over to him and chimed "here comes the bride, here comes the bride!"

"Marlene! Tifa, do something!!" Aerith mewed, her green eyes wide with a pleading expression. Zack wasn't any better.

"Awww, Aerith! Don't be such a poor sport!" Tifa laughed as she watched Marlene sit the little fairy couple together and smile at them.

"Aren't they cute!" she piped, but leave it to Barret to kill the moment.

"Yes, darlin' they're very cute. Now you play with them for a little bit while daddy talks business."

Marlene looked a little miffed by her father's insensitive answer and rolled her eyes.

"Okay, but try to hurry up. You promised you'd take me with you to the ninja village today." She reminded and Barret nodded knowingly.

"Yes, yes, we'll go to the ninja village after I talk to this girl here and if you're really good, you can come with me. How's that?"

The little girl nodded and returned to playing with Aerith and Zack. Barret turned to Tifa and motioned for her to take a seat, which she obliged.

"Okay, here's the deal…I heard from a very reliable source that the ninjas have been a little more antsy lately. The word in the wood is that the Crowned Prince has gone into hiding with them."

"You mean…you mean, we'll have a chance to find him?!"

Tifa's eyes shined with hope and her heart was aflutter. It seemed hope was right around the bend. Barret however frowned.

"I wouldn't be countin' your chocobos just yet. According to Red, the palace that he's stayin' at is practically swamped with ninjas. You'll need a damn miracle to get into that place."

Tifa's smile faded to a disgruntled pout as she grumbled "it figures there'd be a catch…So how do we get in?"

Barret shrugged.

"You're on your own for that. I can't go riskin' life and limb like I use to. I got Marlene to worry about."

Tifa felt bad right about now. Here Barret was, giving her such valid and important information and yet, she never considered the possibility of how much danger she would put him in if she even asked him to participate. If she had asked him to help them, there would be the possibility of getting caught…and where would that leave Marlene? Alone and fatherless.

"Hmmm…Alright, why not…Okay, listen up all of ya! I can help you sneak into the Wutai Kingdom, but you better mind me! I won't have anybody foo' around and getting' us busted!" Barret barked out. Marlene and the fairies looked at each other and started bouncing about excitedly.

"No."

Everyone stopped cheering and turned to look at Tifa. She slowly rose to her feet and held her head high like any princess would.

"I can't let you sacrifice your life for us like that."

"Who said anythin' about me sacrificin' my life? I certainly didn't-"

"IT DOESN'T MATTER WHO SAID WHAT!! Look, even if there is a slim chance we'll get caught, I'm not about to risk your life and leave Marlene all alone! She's only got you Barret and if…if you're gone…she'll have nobody…"

Barret placed his natural hand on his chin and started to pace a bit.

"Hmmm…I think I've got it! Follow me, foo's!" he treaded out the door with the other's close behind him until they reached a barn out back of the house. He threw open the door and inside three donkey's brayed and wheezed.

"Marlene, sweet talk 'em like you always do." He instructed her and she began to make clicking noises, whistles and spoke softly.

"C'mon Biggs, Wedge and Jesse! Come on out!" she coaxed and the three little donkey's trotted out, ears twitching and little black hoofs sinking in the damp swamp soil. Tifa wrinkled her nose and her eye twitched.

"What do you expect us to do with them?" she asked, pointing a skeptical finger at them as Barret went off out behind the barn. Zack, however, was overly fascinated by the miniature beasts.

"Awww, they're cute little guys!"

"No, you can't have one!" Aerith reminded him and he looked hurt. He fixed his violet eyes on her and performed the infamous Zack Fair Puppy Dog Pout. Sadly, Aerith resisted it.

"Zack, one of these days your face is gonna freeze like that and I won't be there to save you. Now please stop."

"But Aerith-"

"No, but's about it, mister!"

While Aerith and Zack went on an arguing spree, Barret returned shortly with a cart filled with supplies. One by one, he fastened the donkeys to the cart and then his work was finished.

"Alrigh', you're all set!" he cried and patted Tifa's shoulder, perhaps a little harder than he wanted, but still a pat all the same.

"So what is the plan exactly? I mean, it's not like we're running a delivery service for you guys right?" she asked and Barret looked at her oddly.

"What's wrong with runnin' a delivery service?"

Barret's beady eyes narrowed and Tifa put her hands up defensively.

"Easy, easy…I guess you want Zack, Aerith and I to go in your place, am I right?"

Barret gave a brief nod and Tifa looked exasperated. Surely they were doomed to fail from the start. However, she didn't complain at the moment. _Don't knock it before you try it_ she thought miserably as she climbed into the cart. Zack and Aerith stopped bickering and flew to the cart. Being overly fascinated by the donkeys, Zack happily perched himself on the top of Jesse's head. She didn't seem to mind.

"Listen up! Follow that path over there until you come to a fork in the road. Take the road on your right, where you'll find a bridge. Alright, this part is really important! Don't, I repeat, don't say your true names where the wizard can hear you!"

Tifa tilted her head looking rather puzzled.

"Wizard?"

Barret nodded and explained "Yeah, a wizard. I heard he control you just by using your true names, and if he does, you'll never be heard from again."

Zack gulped nervously and the donkey's ears flattened. Aerith and Tifa looked at each other and the glances they gave only added to the anxiety. Barret sighed and stretched.

"Well, you best be off now. It'll be gettin' dark soon and I think you'll want to get a cross that bridge as soon as possible."

"But Barret-"

"HEEYAH!!" Barret yawped and the donkeys started trotting away down the little swamp path. As Barret watched them go, Marlene approached his side and took his hand.  
"Papa"

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"Do you think they'll be alright? I'd feel bad if anything happened to Tifa and the fairies."

She looked up at Barret with big pitiful eyes and Barret raised an eyebrow.

"Now, don't you look at me like that! I'm still your father!"

"But…But papa, what if something really bad happens? Tifa and the fairies aren't strong enough to handle things like bears! What if they get eaten?!" she cried and her bottom lips stuck out. Barret sighed in defeat. Marlene would not stop worrying unless he went to help that human girl.

"Alright, I'll go. But when I come back, there better not be any of your animal friends here eaten us out of house and home!" he warned and the little girl nodded innocently. Barret patted her head and walked down the path that the little cart just traveled down until he was out of sight. Marlene gave a low whistle and out came a pack of wolves with a little boy walking beside them. He had light brown hair with soft blue eyes and was swathed in various skins.

"Denzel! C'mon," she laughed as she ran up to hug him and then took his hand. "You guys can stay the night with me. Papa's gonna be gone for a little while."

**Author Note #2: Yes! Another chapter completed! Tell me what you guys think and who knows, I just may respond! Until next!**

**P.S.: I know, I know…It seems like I keep adding characters slowly in. I guess it's just how I perceive them if they were in a world of fairy tales and fantasy. Besides, I couldn't just leave Marlene by herself! Little children get scared and lonely!**


	6. Stone 5

**Author's Note: I know it's been a while but I've been working between stories and homework. You'll have to bear with me.**

**Author Note 1 ½: If anyone's out of Character, I apologize in advance…btw, Reno swears in this chapter. You have been warned!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own FF7, just anything outside of the game I own…cha cha cha!!**

**Stone 5**

"Off with his head!"

Sitting in his newly acquired throne, Sephiroth cast a merciless glare down at the peasant man being led away to his assured doom. The sound of SOLDIER foot falls echoed and slowly faded. Sephiroth closed his eyes and smiled impishly. He had finally done it. He had finally gained control of the kingdom long ago denied to him. However, there was a little problem: his younger brother. In the back of his mind, Sephiroth was beginning to worry. No, he cared nothing for the life of his younger brother. All he wanted was for Cloud to declare him the new Crowned Prince, of course, the brat may need persuasion. But how?

"My Lord! My Lord! I found something!" bellowed his servant as he panted and bowed before the silver haired swordsman. Sephiroth unsheathed his beloved Masamune and rose to his feet. Gracefully, like any child of royal blood, he descended the crimson carpeted stairs like a god. The servant collapsed before his ruler and bowed, a letter within his very hands. Sephiroth stopped before him and looked at the menacing glint of Masamune. Without a word, he brought the sword down and took off the servant's hand. Sephiroth picked up the bloodstained letter and gave the writhing servant a dirty look.

"I thought I told you not to interrupt my thoughts. Be grateful it wasn't your head." He growled as his emerald eyes shifted back to the letter. Suddenly his eyes widened with an insatiable wrath and the grip on his sword tightened.

"What is the meaning of this, Humphrey? Do you honestly think I'm interested in my little brother's love letters?" he growled dangerously as he contemplated what he could chop off next. The servant painfully tilted his head up and swallowed back the agony.

"M-m-my lord…please…I-I-I thought it would be o-of use to y-y-you…" he quivered under the deadly scrutiny of the swordsman. Just as Sephiroth was about to bring Masamune down for a second and final time, a thought occurred to him.

"…Of course…Use his little lovebird to bring him out. Genius…You may go Humphrey"

The servant's eyes shone with gratitude as he quickly rose and bowed again. However, Sephiroth changed his mind and brought down Masamune with a final flash.

Rushing down the hall, a messenger carries a letter. Cold sweat poured down the frightened youth's face as he skid to a halt on the other side of the castle. Without bothering to knock, he burst into the room and before him sat a man with a neatly cut pony tail, dressed in a light blue yukata. The man broke out of his meditation and turned slightly so the corner of his eye was just visible to the terrified and tired youth.

"Are you the one called Tseng?"

"Yes. Does his Majesty wish to see me?"

The boy handed him the letter and left quickly before anything else could be said. Tseng broke open the seal and unfurled the letter. His eyes darted over the neatly written script and with a disgruntled sigh, he rose to his feet. So it seemed this mission was not something any ordinary SOLDIER could do. Sephiroth wanted something quick, clean and precise. He wanted the Turks.

Tseng padded his way to a hidden passage way behind a nearby book case and knocked three times on a fake stone in the wall. The stone slid out of place and a pair of hazel eyes peered out at him.

"What's the password, yo?"

Tseng glared at the man on the other side and the other man sighed.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll open the damn door…Jeez…" he grumbled and instantaneously, the book case slid out of the way. Tseng walked in and looked around at the selected group before him. Some were drinking, some smoked, some were in the midst of playing poker, but all turned their attention to their leader. Tseng turned his attention to a man with blazing red hair, red markings under his eyes and a cocky grin to boot.

"Reno, how many times have I told you that I loathe games? Next time you pull a stunt like that, I'll beat you senseless." He growled out at him and the red head nodded stoically. With a flourish, Tseng waved the recently received letter in the air.

"Do you lot know what this is? This is the letter from his very Majesty himself. At this time, my fellow Turks, it is up to us to hunt down two people. Our objectives: capturer Prince Cloud and capture a human by the name of Tifa Lockhart. Not much is known about the latter at this current time, but she should be easy to find."

A woman with blonde hair raised her hand and Tseng acknowledged her with a nod.

"Sir, where should we begin our search? She could be anywhere by now."

"Elena, Sephiroth believes this girl is of great importance to the former Crowned Prince. She's supposed to be coming to the Final Kingdom as we speak. Now, each of you will be partnering up and heading in various directions I will assign you. If you find the girl, kill anyone she's with and bring her back here unharmed. Any questions?"

This time, the red head named Reno raised his hand. Tseng placed an exasperated hand over his eyes and growled through his teeth "Yes, Reno?"

"Is the girl we're supposed to be looking for a hottie?"

A shoe whizzed by the red head's head, but luckily he ducked and then glared at the irritated blonde sitting across the room. Tseng sighed, thinking _only you Reno…only you…_

"That's enough from all of you! Get suited up and be ready to leave in 10 minutes." He barked out and exited from the room.

"I hate roughing it, yo. All these damn bugs and shit…"

Reno and Rude treaded softly in the forest just outside of the castle. Reno swatted away the mosquitoes and gnats that nipped and pestered him. He let loose an irritated growl before covering his head with the woolen hood of his dark cloak. Dark wool and the sultry time of summer were not a good combination for the red head. Rude, however, merely adjusted his sunglasses and grunted. He learned not to mind the heat and he knew he practically blended in, so the bugs wouldn't bother him too much.

"So, which way should we go partner?" he asked and Reno shrugged curtly.

"I don't care! Just as long as we get away from these damn things! At this rate, I'm gonna end up lookin' like I got chocobo pox!" he fumed as he continued trying to swat away the assaulting little demons.

"You know, maybe if you rub a little mud on yourself, they might go away." Rude suggested and before he could say anything else, Reno whole heartedly start rubbing what appeared to be mud on his hands and face.

"Reno."

"Yo."

"That's not mud."

"…WAAAAAAAUGH!!"

"You stink."

"SHUT UP YO! How was I suppose to know that was…" he couldn't even bring himself to finish, so instead, the red head shuddered. He had managed to get most of it off, but the scent was absolutely atrocious, even Rude was having problems walking along side his partner. On the bright side, the bugs left Reno alone.

"You know, that chick better be worth the trouble, or else, Tseng and I are gonna have a little chat, yo." He continued to grumble as they walked on and Rude shook his head. He knew that was least likely to happen seeing as Tseng was the boss at the moment and whatever the man said, everyone followed. If only Sephiroth hadn't taken over, then maybe the Turks would still be working for the Shinras. However, that wasn't the case seeing as Tseng had sent them south wards to the Fairy kingdom.

"When this is over, I say we stop by the 7th Heaven for a nice round of beer yo. That would definitely make me feel better…that and a chick with nice-"

"Reno, watch your step."

Reno stopped in mid-step and looked down: another pile of dung. His eye twitched with irritation and he side stepped into an unnoticed pile. That's when his hair stood on end.

"THOSE SHIVA DAMNED WILD CHOCOBOS!! A CURSE BE ON YOU LITTLE BASTARDS YO!!" he fumed viciously, waving his fist in the air. Suddenly, Rude's eyes widened and he took off running. Reno stopped ranting for a moment and turned to see what startled his partner so. A herd of yellow, green, blue and black heads swiveled his way and their eyes narrowed at him.

"Oh shit…RUDE, WAIT FOR ME!!"

Thus the stampede was on! Through the forest the Turks ran and scrambled for the nearest high trees, where they would wait until the infuriated birds found something better to chase down. Today was just not going to be the Turks' day.

**Author Note #2: Will anyone save our beloved Turks? Maybe…As for Tseng dress in a yukata, I don't know where that came from, but I liked the idea. It makes him seem more distinguished and more…what's the word…traditional? Respectable, perhaps? I don't know, but I'll let you guys be the judge on that. Ciao!**

**P.S.: Chocobos!! Woot!!**


	7. Stone 6

**Author's Note: I know it's been forever since I last posted, but I've been in a little slump(again).**

**Author Note 1: btw, I should warn you not to expect posts in a rapid fire process (as some of you know). Most of the time, the updates are based on if I feel up to it.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own FF7, just anything outside of the game I own…Roll on the floor like gerbils y'all!! Woot!!**

**Stone 6**

Donkeys brayed and the most annoying question anyone could've asked on that trip went something like this:

"Are we there yet?"

"ZACK!!" the girls shouted at him. Zack pouted and flopped down along the crown of Jesse's head. She snorted at him as he continued to fuss and fidget on the top of her head. Finally, Jesse flung him off and he landed in the bushes. Tifa pulled on the reins and brought the cart to a halt as she and Aerith got off and searched the bushes for him.

"Zack where are you?!

"Zack, answer us!"

He fluttered out, his face blanch and he clutched his arm. Tifa held out her hands for him and he collapsed into them.

"Oh my Gaia, Zack, are you alright?!" she panicked and he gave her a pain filled smile. Aerith landed at his side and began to examine him. She poked him in the arm and he howled, followed by a stream of curses. Aerith tutted and explained "It looks like he broke an arm. We'll have to hurry up and get to the ninja village. I hear they have a great selection of healing herbs and also, Materia too!"

"Who cares?! Let's just hurry up and get there!" Zack howled on as Aerith made a makeshift sling for his arm.

"There all finished!" She smiled softly and patted his arm, earning yet another howl of agony. Tifa carried them back to the wagon and set them as gently as possible on to the wooden seat. She climbed in and sat down, then checked to make sure the fairies were alright.

"Are you two ready?"

"Yes, yes, yes, let's just go already! There's no need to worry about me." Zack hissed impatiently under the girls' worried gazes.

"Alright, just sit tight and let's hope we get there in one piece."

Tifa gave the rein a gentle jerk and the three donkeys trotted on.

**Meanwhile…**

"Would you stop sulking already? So you lost your kingdom, big deal!"

The ninja princess frowned at her guest, while Mako blue eyes glared daggers at her. They were currently in the vast library of the Wutai Kingdom as Cloud scanned through countless books and scrolls.

"Is that all you can say about the situation? 'big deal'? Tch…You're not very bright, are you?" Cloud growled at her with utter distain before turning his back to her, book in hand. Yuffie picked up a scroll and threw it at him, but luckily enough, Cloud side-stepped in time.

"Insult me again and we're gonna fight!" she snapped and Cloud snapped the book shut in a rather brisk and cold manner.

"Well, excuse me for looking at the bigger picture at hand. Do you honestly think Sephiroth will be happy with just the Final Kingdom? Do you honestly not see the dangers that are coming?"

He slowly turned around, his eyes darkening as the thoughts of chaos, that were sure to erupt in a given amount of time, filled his mind.

"Look, I know you don't care because you haven't lost your throne, but I'm telling you that if Sephiroth is in charge, he isn't just going to want a kingdom. He'll want an empire." He warned as he picked up another book and started skimming.

Yuffie put her hands on her hips and asked "so what do you plan to do? Throw a book at him? By all means, take them all! I have no use for them."

Again, Cloud snapped the book shut and irritably slammed it down on the desk.

"If you aren't going to take this seriously, then just leave me alone! I don't have time to mess around and baby sit a little kid!" he yelled. Yuffie cringed at the volume, but shook it off.

"Okay, okay…Jeez…So what are you going to do about your brother? You and I both know that place is crawling with SOLDIERs and believe it or not, my sources tell me he's even got the Turks working for him."

"The…Turks? How?" he asked, but Yuffie was too busy examining her nails. She glanced up at him briefly with playful brown eyes.

"It's gonna cost ya."

Cloud gulped and slowly backed away.

"B-b-but I thought you liked Vincent!" he panicked but the reaction he got was unexpected. She stuck her tongue at him and cringed.

"Of course I like Vincent! What in Gaia would make you think I'd want to go out with the likes of you?! I was talking about Materia, you lunkhead! If you give me some Materia, then I might tell you what I know. Other than that, ninjas don't give out information for free, ya know!"

The Crowned Prince gave out a sigh of relief.

"Alright, fine, but it better be useful, or else."

Yuffie released a joyful squeal and chattered "Alright, but you better give me that Materia or else, I'll hunt you down and make your life a living hell!"

_You're already doing that now…besides, I've had worse…_ he thought bitterly while keeping a straight face and nodding.

"Okay, sit down and listen!" she order as she wrenched him forward and flung him into a nearby chair excitedly. The chair slid briefly at the impact and Cloud began to wonder if what Yuffie had to say was really that damn important. He hoped so, if not, then he just wasted valuable time.

"Now let's see…What was Nanaki telling me? Oh yeah! Okay, well to begin somewhere, the Turks are a group of disciplined agents that once belonged to the Shinra family."

"Shinra?! You mean the clan that Rufus Shinra descends from?"

"Well, duh! Now shut up and listen!...ahem…As I was saying, I guess before Sephiroth laid the smack down on you, he bowled over Shinra first and basically made an offer ol'Ruffy-boy couldn't refuse."

"Tch…figures. Sephiroth probably spared his life, but in return, Rufus had to hand over the Turks, right?"

"Yep! Along with the documents Hojo created when he worked as the Shinras chief engineer in sorcery and gadgets."

Cloud's eyes widened. If Hojo was in the mix…Damn. Cloud shot up out of the chair and took Yuffie by the shoulders.

"Yuffie, I can't believe I'm going to ask this but…Will you help me stop Sephiroth?"

Yuffie cocked an eyebrow.

"Help you? Hmmm…Do I get Materia out of the deal?"

"YUFFIE!!"

"Okay, okay!...Jeez…You're worse than my dad, honestly!...Fine, I'll help you out, but keep in mind, that I'm still in charge." She argued and Cloud nodded impatiently.

"Yes, yes, yes, you're the top dog in this kingdom, I know! Just help me find that damn spell!"

"What spell?"

Cloud sighed and shook his head in disbelief. He was doomed.

**Author Note #2: Sorry if it's short friendly readers, but that's Stone 6 for ya!**

**P.S.: Btw, I know I offer this in my other story as well, if a chapter isn't really up to scratch, I'm willing to redo the chapter, but I utterly refuse to take the story down until it's complete. 'kay? Happy readings!!**


	8. Stone 7

**Author's Note: I apologize if it's too short, but I try to make it so that I'm not playing favorites with one character (which I normally do, but I want to try something different)**

**Author Note 1: And in no way, shape or form do I believe Reno or Rude are evil. They're just doing their jobs. Just thought I should clear that up now.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own FF7, just anything outside of the game I own…so…sleepy… **

**Stone 7**

"Are they gone?"

Looking down from the tree, the red head noticed that the herd of Chocobos were still beneath them…fast asleep.

"Damn it…" he cursed and looked to his overly calm partner.

"They're all asleep, yo."

Rude nodded and started climbing down. Reno looked from his partner to the group of Death below them and he shook his head skeptically.

"What're you doing?!" he hissed to his partner and Rude made a hushed noise. The bald man stealthily climbed down the tree and tiptoed past the birds without the slightest bit of sound. He looked back up at Reno and motioned for him to follow.

'Okay then…If Rude can do it, then so can I!'

Or so he thought…

Like Rude, Reno carefully climbed down the tree and reached the base without the slightest bit of sound. He gulped and began tiptoe.

Step…step…step…CRACK…

Reno froze and looked down to find a branch under his left foot. He looked around and…nothing happened.

"Phew…Thought I was a goner!" he whispered in relief, but a sleepy "Kweh?" brought him out of his revelry. He looked around again and a flock of eyes were on him again.

"Damn it…"

And once again, Reno and Rude made a wild dash for another tree with the herd of chocobos following close behind.

"Rude…"

"Hmmm?"

"I never want to see a chocobo as long as I live." Reno growled as he and Rude watched the large birds again.

**Elsewhere in the forest…**

"Why do I let Marlene talk me into these things?"

Huffing his way through the bushes and muddy parts of the forest, Barret trekked on in hopes of reaching Tifa and the others before anything could go wrong. On a normal basis, Barret would not have been willing to chase after anyone, but if Marlene was involved…Well, he just couldn't say 'no'. He sighed and shook his head.

"I'm such a sucker…" he grumbled again as he trudged on and suddenly, he paused to listen to a multitude of squawks and chirps.

"Must be those damn chocobos. Well, better steer clear of 'em since it's matin' season. They tend to get feisty." He chuckled darkly and was about to continue on when a pathetic yell caught his attention.

"Someone, anyone, help!! Help me-er, us, please!!"

Barret shook his head.

'Oh-no! I'm not getting' suckered into helpin' more people!' he thought viciously and the cries for help grew louder and started working on the ogre's conscious. Finally, Barret sighed and started heading toward the cries for help.

"Shiva damned tourists!" he snarled as he marched through another set of bushes and on to an amusing scene. Two grown men were holed up in a tree by a large herd of Chocobos. Barret stifled a snigger and raised his gunning arm in the air to fire off loud rounds of bullets. The Chocobos dispersed out of fright and the two men were finally free. They looked over to Barret and the red head waved.

"OH MY GOD, THANK YOU SO MUCH!!" he cried and Barret shrugged it off before turning on heel to leave.

"Hey, hey, hey!! Wait a minute, buddy!" The red head cried as he and his partner scrambled down the tree and hustled over to him. Barret stopped to watch the procession.

"It was nothin', now it would be in your best interests to get the hell outta here before they come back." He growled at the two men, but the red head just kept talking.

"Look buddy, you saved our butts! The least we could do is help you out, yo!" he chattered on in pure relief. Barret raised a skeptical eyebrow.

"Well…I do have a problem of my own to handle…hmmm…"

Barret sized the two men up before nodding.

"Fine…Alright you two, you're comin' with me to look for a human girl driving a cart."

The two men looked from Barret to each other.

"By the way, the name's Barret. Who are you two?"

"I'm Reno, that's Rude…Did you say 'human girl'?" Reno inquired, raising an eyebrow and Barret gave a nod.

"Yeah…Why? You got business with her?"

"Well, we don't but the Crowned Prince does."

They had Barret's full attention.

"Really? I thought he was hiddin' in Wutai Kingdom?"

Reno looked at Rude, then back at Barret.

"He is." Rude answered this time and Reno picked up from there.

"You bet he is! He sent us and others to find that girl and bring her to him. He's got us lookin' high and low, yo!" he grinned and Barret grinned too.

"Well, I think you boys might be in luck! C'mon!"

**Author Note #2: As I said before, sorry if it's short.**

**P.S.: Good news, I seem to be in better spirits and not so slumpy! Woot!**


End file.
